1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a side dump trailer and more particularly to a side dump trailer which may be used to haul elongated rod members, spool members or loose bulkhead materials such as scrap metal. Further, this invention relates to a side dump trailer wherein the body thereof is pivotally moved between its non-dumping position to its dumping position by means of a plurality of scissor lift assemblies positioned below the body. Further, the invention relates to an improved body configuration for increasing the hauling capacity thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Trailers have been used for many years to haul rock, gravel, dirt, rip rap, break-out, etc. One type of trailer previously used is one having an end gate at the rearward end thereof so that the contents of the trailer may be dumped from the rear of the trailer as the forward end of the trailer body is elevated by means of a hydraulic cylinder or the like. One problem associated with a rear tail gate is that the materials in the trailer tend to become clogged at the tail gate area. Further, tailgates sometimes do not fully open or fully close. End dump bodies are also prone to high wear as all material slides down the body surface.
In an effort to overcome some of the disadvantages associated with rear dumping trailers, side dump trailers have been provided. One type of side dump trailer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,798 issued to Clarence W. Bailey on Jan. 22, 1985. Another type of side dump trailer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214 issued to the applicant herein on Jan. 2, 1996. Although applicant's earlier design has met with considerable success, the same was primarily designed for use in hauling loose materials such as gravel, rock, rip rap, break-out, etc.
It has been discovered that a unique situation exists in the steel manufacturing business. For example, many small steel mills have scrap metals delivered thereto by means of trucks or the like. The steel mills convert the scrap metals to elongated rods, bars or coils of steel wound upon spool members. It takes a rather unique type of transport vehicle to transport the elongated rods or steel coils from the factory to the customers for the products. Inasmuch as the trucks which hauled the loose scrap metals to the steel mills are not suitable for transporting the elongated rods or steel coils, different types of trucks are required to transport the finished products. In other words, one type of truck delivers the scrap materials to the steel mill and another type of truck hauls the finished products from the steel mills. In such a situation, the trucks hauling the scrap metals to the steel mills return from the steel mills empty and the trucks hauling the finished products travel to the steel mills empty.
In an effort to solve the above-identified problems, applicant designed a side dump trailer which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,971. Although the trailer of U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,971 represents a distinct improvement in the prior art, it has been found that it is more economical and efficient to pivotally move the body of the trailer by means of a plurality of spaced-apart scissor lift assemblies rather than the multi-stage hydraulic cylinders utilized in U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,971. It has also been ascertained that the carrying capacity of the trailer can be increased if one of the side walls of the trailer extends vertically rather than upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall.